Portable refinery



Dec. 7 1926.

T. w. sow/ELL.

PORTABLE REFINERY 5 1925 l 9 sheets-sheet Fle'd Jari.

mm `a.

Dec.l v7

T. w. SQWELL PORTABLZE REFINERY T. W. SOWELL PORTABLE REFINERY De@ 7,1926..A l www? Filed-Jan. 5. 1925 9 sheets-sheet T. W. SOWELL PORTABLE REFINERY- 9 sheets-shea 7 Filed Jan. 5f, 1925 f5@ n/e// Quoi weg Dec. 7 1926.

T. VV. SOWELL PORTABLE VREMI-:Em

5, 1925 Qsheetslshi a Filed Jan.

Winn,

" Patented Dec. 7, 1,926.

i 'umransrarss ,PATENT loi=rfics.

rHoMAsw. sovvELL, or DALLAS, TEXAS, Assistme` 'rov THE PonTABLE Rnnmnmz COMPANY, or DALLAS, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

PORTABLE RBFINERY.

Application filed January 5, 1925. Serial No. i467.

This invention relates to new' and useful Fig. 7 is a transverse 'vertical sectional vievv1 taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. ,4.

F 1g. 8 is a vertical sectional detail of the improvements in portable' relineries. The object ofthe invention is to provide a crude oil refinery composed of a plurality of 6 portable units, whereby a refinery may be set up and operated ina new oil field in less than a month; whereas several months are re ui'red to build a stationary refinery.

i nother object is to mount the several ele- 10 ments of the refinery on railway cars in such a manner as to ybe quickly' connected for operation.

elements o A furthep` object is to dispose the various.`

`the cars in such continuity as i M' ato make for the most expeditious assembly ofthe plant, as well as to make for operation", in the? most practical and profitable ,l manner. f y y Another/object is to make portable only 20 those parts and lements which it would be profitableto transport and to a'bandon'those parts and elements which may be replaced at aff/costlessthan the cost of removing.

'/It isl obvious that in making the .units 25 portable 'certain provisions must be made and it is not clainitldas the invention, thev mereportahilityof the'nnits, but rather the means whereby'lhe yunits are made portable.

. However' an ins cation/of this character pers mits of considerable variation in structure and while itv is noti"tended/to limit the invention tothe hereinafter recited details ot construction."g-Qthere are certain features, which have been' foundfto dominate in a. portadequatebracing and staying. and suitable vheat insulation.

` construction designed to carry rout the invention -will be hereinafter described ltogether with other features of the invention. i

l. 'The invintion will he more readily'under-- stood fronte-4a reading,r of the following speci- `ticatio'n 'and by reference to the accompanying drawings.' in whichan example of the invention is shown. and wherein:

lfig l is an'elevation oi a pair of cars connected" up and ready for operation, in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

50 Fig..3 is a plan View of thc Still.

Fig. 4 is a 'side view partlyy in section.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Fin. 3,

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken on the line"6-6 of Fig'. 4,

able refinery. Anionglthese features are front end of the still,

' Fig. 9 is a partial horizontal cross-sectioni al view of the rear end of the still,

Fig. 10 is an end elevation ofthe air condenser,

Fi g.- ll same,

Flg. 12

air condenser,

a partial side elevation of the is a vertical sectional view of the Fig. 13 is a plan 'view of the same,

f Fig. 14

heat exchanger,

Fig. 15 same,

Fig. 16

is a vertical sectional view ofthe cooling tower,

Fig. 18 is 'a cross-sectional view on the line 18Y 18 of Fig. 16,

Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view on the line 19-19 of Fig. 1o,

Fig. 2o

is a cross-sectional View on thc lino 20e-20 of Fig. 16,

Fig. 21 is a crossfsectional view on the line 2.1 21 of Fig. 22

Fig. 16, p is a vertical sectional view of one of the chemical rings used in the coolingv tower.

Fi g. A2? same,`

Fig. 24

form of portable refinery, andv Fig. 25

ln the drawings the numeral designates.

a railway is a cross-sectional view of thc ,is a side elevationA of a modified is a plan View.

flat car and 26, a railway box car inclusive. Jacket 28,

tical sidesBO and a rounded bottom 31. A,

The still 'has a heat insulating a rounded' or arched top 29, verfire box 32 underlies the stilll and comprises longitudinal `side walls built up of upright metal studs 33 supporting longitudinal metal '4A-Brackets 35 secured to the still A 'axially of each flue. The

rest upon the beams and support the still. The panels formed by the studs, beams and floor of the car are filledwith bricks 36.\

it the front end of the still is Va transversel burner .manifold 37 into which gas or oil burners 38 extend. From each side of -the manifold tubular lues 39 lead through vthe like.

The products of combustion are, forced through the fines from the manitold zl to the housing 4l. From the housing the prod'-4 ucts are drawn along the passages 44 or` channels formed between the side walls of the fire box and the baille walls to tlurfront, and then around the 'trout ends 'of said walls 43, (Fig. 8) into acentral flue Ll5 underlying vthe bottom 3l land closed at its rear end bv the housing llflfig. 9.) smoke pipe 4G having arrnlbow leads :trom the bottom of the hre box'at the rear end of the flue 45 and .is connected to a smoke stack 4T erected on the ground at the side of the car. llythis handling ot'the products thc still is thoroughly heated and the fullbeneiitcf the heat is had before the products escape into the stack 47. The pipe 4G is placed under the car and the stach is huiltat'ter the location has been selected. A heat exchanger. shown in detail in Fif lli and l5. is mounted on the rar 2.5 next to the still. The exchanger comprises :i casing 4S. A crude oil t'eed or supply` pipe 4f) is lcd up to the heat exchanger. after the car as heen4 placed, andis connected to a horizontal manifold 50.' From the uuinil'old a f plurality o't' small distributing pipes 5l enter the side ol the casing),f and are continuous with coils 52 in said casing. 'i`hecoils are connected to a horizontal manifold 53 in the.

casing at the opposite end. A feed pipe 54- leads from thisv manifold through the top oi' the casingand enters the rop :29 ot the still near its front end.

i/r bypass pipe 55 leads out of the. bottoni ofthe still near thc pipe. 4,6 and enters the bottom of the heat exchanger casingrLiS at the adjacentend. thus supplied to thefexchaniler andr thecoils 52 immersed therein. An overflow pipe'G extends from the side of the casino; 4H to the roar end of the still. lt will be seen that the. crude oil upon entering' the inimitold 5() split up and conducted through the i 'chunger in the small coils 52. This subjects 'relstill isthus preheated and is more readilyv vaporized.- A surplus of oil from the casing.; 48 may be pumped out through the pipe 57 and conveyed to a suitable cooling; box (not shown).

`One of the very important features of the equipment is a cooling tower mounted on the still and comprises a rectifying column 58 surmounted by a dephlegmator 59. l/Vhile this tower may assume various forms, that illustrated and described has been found very satisfactory. The column 58 has an in# let collar G0 connecting its bottom With the top 2S) of the still. The vapors arising,` from the still pass into the bottom of the rectifier. A plurality of traps' are provided at the lower end of the rectifying column and each comprises a pan (5l having its 'upper edge spaced below a builie ring 62 secured to the inner cylindrical wall oit the column. Each ring has an internal dependingl apron 63 extending to the pan and supporting a screen 64.. YThe condensed liquids falling in the column will pass through the upper screen and overflow from the upper pan to the lower pan an);v 'liquid overtlowingV from the lower pan will be drained back into the. still by a pipe (S5.

Thus the vapors rising from the still must pass under 'the rings 62 and through the liquid in the upper portions ot' the. pans, well as through the screens. -Tliis will condense the heavier products which would otherwise pass up the column.

Above i'he upper pan a perforated partition (i6 is secured :if-ross the column. That portion ol thc column .above thepartition vis lilled with chen'iical .rinus (5?,shown indetail in Figs. and 253. These rings :ire made of plastic material and burned in a kiln. .Each ring); has a sinuous transversebalile GS provided with :L-'central aperture G9. '.llhese rings are set end upon uul-orlaid iu'the tower in an)Y suitable manner, the idea being to suiliciently retard the risinga vapors, to condense the-heavier proflucts Aand permit only the-more volatile vaporsto pass# At vits'uppcr end the column fisjiiunedwto the bottom ot' the dcphlelimitorA 50 which consists of alplurality ot vertical.tubesflf lia-ving,v upper and lower endssupl'norted--in' 'partitions-f il/and .'72 respoctiwlyf l` hesi'-.l` tubes yare divided into `threey sectionsoor groups A, B and C respectively, by'upright' partitions T3 xtend'ii'ig between/ tlie-parti-` tions.' The lower ends' ot the-tubes of group ,Av are exposed to .the vapors rising from the column, while thelower ends of the' tubes ot'A the other'fgroupshare segregatedy rbiyzea` iso lll

i ab

Looe,

the dephlegmator t-hevspace above the partiltion 71 is -divided by a transverse wall 75,

which separates the 'upper ends of the tubes of group C from the other groups. Thus the vapor-s passing up through the tubes of group A may pass down the tubes of group B and will be conducted bythe plate 74 to the tubes of group C. The vapors. passing up the tubes of group C escape into an elbow 76 leading from the top of the dephlegmator. my suitable cooling fluid may be circulated around. the tubes inthe space between the partitions 71 and 72, whereby the vapors passing the tubes are subjected to the cooling iniluence of the said iuid. The highlyY volatile vapors passing `out of .the elbow 76 are ready for condensing into liquid. In the i rectilierthe heavier and least volatile vapors are retarded and condensed; while in the dephleg'mator a separation between the light -and less volatile vapors is effected by .a cool'- ingagent.

vhe vapors passing outA through the elbow 'Z6 are conducted down through. a vertical pipe 77 to a manifold 78 over a condenser, housing 79 mounted on one end of the car 25.A Tubular. connections 80 (see Figs. 10 to 13). lead from each side of thev manifold to upper coils 81 in the condenser housing. The coils have conreactions 82 leading through the side of theho'using to .a U- shaped manifold 83, from the lower leg ot which connetions 84 rlead' back into the .housing and are' attaclijegto alower coil 85.

Connections 85' lead .from the coil 85 at the lower end of the condenser to an exterior manifold 86. A pipe 87 leads from the manifoldfi to the receiving :house 4not shown. The housing 79 is perforated at its ends and the ends of the coils areadjacent lthese perforations. y

In the box car 26 is mounted a gas or gasoeev i y 3' housing. A right angular duct 103 is 'coupled to a. collar '106 at the rear end of the hood. This duct extends down one side of the fan 98 and is connected to'the side of the fan casing at the center thereof. The fan-creates an ai-r suction through the duct. The lower end of the duct is connected by a curved pipe 107 with a manifold 108 on the side of the housing,r 79. The walls of the housing being perforated as described the suction .created in the duct will draw air through housing andthe collar 106 and the pipe 107. collar will pass between the lower coils 85; while the air drawn through 'the pipe 107 will pass between the upper 4coils 81. This will dissipate the heat by setting up a. circulation, whereby more rapid radiation is effected. The air sucked into the-fan will be more or less hot 'and this. heated air is expelled intoa pipe 109 (Fig. 2) which leads to the burner 38. Each burner is surrounded by a large sleeve 38', each fed from the pipe 1.09

(Figs. 2 and 4.) by a depending branch pipe- 110. The low ,pressure pipe 97 is connected to atomizing tubes 97 which passthrough The air drawn through the soI the sleeves and project through flaring openf -ing large admit the hot air in suflicicnt volume to'provide a forced draft directed into the tubular llues The dephlegmator 59 is Aprovided with an elongated vertical opening or slot 112 in one side and one or more similar openings 113 on the opposite side, tlirougl1`wliich air may enter. head 114 (Fig. 18) is connected lingen im; 88 having-a. driving "pulley 89 'with the openingr 112 and a pipe 115 leads which rives a pulley 90 on a' jack shaft 91 by means of arbeit 92. A watercooling tank' `A98 for the engine is mounted on the side of the car-and is suitably connected withftbe coolin `system oftheen 'ine'. A low pres- "sure b ower LSeis driven y a `belt 4from a pulley 96 onthe-jacknshatfl. ,y `A pipe 97 is; connected with thisjblower-"and leads to driven by a belt102 from a pulley 103.

Air suction is employed as a cooling agent from the head.

This pipe has its rear end tapped into the top ofthe duct 103. By" this arrangement air is drawn through thel lull dephlegmator and passing between the` tubes f 70. will cool the same.

lt is obvious that various changes in the arrangement and the particular elements of the equipment, within the scope of lthe appended claims may be 4made. As an illustration l have showua modification in Figs. 24 and 25. In this form substantially the same still 27"ismounted on the car 25, although itsinterior'may be varied. ln these figures like numbers denote the sanie'parts f.

as in the other figures. 'Instead ofthe air condenser and the high prcssurc'fan. a pau' in thedephlegmator' 59 and the condenser, of water cooled condensers 120 and 121,112-

but any other cooling duid. or means could be used. The condenser housing 79 (Pigs Lil) `to 13) has 'a transverse hoodflOl entending across 'the top and opening vinto the spectively, are mounted on the car 25. l il pipe 122 leads out ot" the top of the tower 122i to the top of the condenser' 121.

The pipe 5l which leads out ot' the'heat exchanger casing t8 enters the still 27 and'is connected with coils 124:. extending longi' tudinally thereof.l A. pipe 125 leads from the rear end of the coils, up through the still to the tower 123. The tower may be any approved structure or it may be similar to the rectifying column 5S. The loil which enters the 'upper portion or' the tower flows back into the still through a large pipe 126, through Which the vapors also rise into the tower.v

A vpipe 127 leads from the still to the top of anl axially rectifier 128 and return-pipe 129 leads from the bottom `'or' said rectiiier to the top ol the still. Vapore from the still will lnass up through the pipe 127 tothe rectilier 128 ,and the'liquid condensed Will hack through the pipe 129. The liquids may either be drawn ofi through a discharge pipe 129 including a cut-oli'7` valve 129 or they may be carried back to the still. The v'apors from the rectifier 128 pass out through a pipe-130 to the condenser 120, from Which the condensed liquids are conducted by a pipe 131 to a pumpy 132, located in the car 26. The pipe 129b leads to a ypump 133 inthe car 26. 'A pipe 131i leads out of the bottom ofthe condenser 121 to a pump 135.

The condensers are cooled by Water and supplied by a pipe 136 from a suitable coolingtower (not shown). The Water returned to the tower by a pipe 137 in Which is connected a pump 138 located in the car 26.

f The Vadvantage of this arrangement over the air cooled system is that a lower' condensing temperature may be obtained ,andl a lnger grade oi hydrocarbon oil secured. The most expensive and complex `elements of the reining being mounted on the cars, the plant.

vis readily transportable. lt requires months to build' a pipe line from a lield and months v,to build a reinery. `Within two. or three Weeks after arriving at the field the refineries herein described may be connected. up and operatingthus saving thousands of dollars.

Y`'which would otherwise be expended in transporting the crude oil to refineries, by tank cars.

What I claim, is:

1. ln a portable refinery unit, a crude oil still, a heat exchanger having a crude oil inlet, means for circulating heated oil 'from Ythe still through the'exchanger and return- .ing it .to the still, a pipe for conducting heated oil vtrom the exchanger' discharging directly into the still, a cooling tower connected with the still, and a .vapor discharge pipe'from said tower.

In a portable relinery unit, a crude oil stllll, a heat exchanger having inlet and outlet manifolds connected by 'a series of pipes,

nicans for circulating healed oil from the still 'through the exchanger and returning 1t to the still, a reed from the outlet .maniw e p recaen? told to the still, and a cooling tower connected' with the still .and having a Vapor discharge pipe. i

3. ln a portable rolinery unit, a crude oil still, a heat exchanger having inlet and outlet manifolds connected by a series of pipes,

means for circulating heated oil from the 'still through the exchanger and returning 4it to the still, a leed from the outlet inanifold to the still, a cooling tower connected with'the still and lia-ring a `vapor discharge pipe, and a liquid drain from said tower 'to the still.

4.111 a portable,refinery unit, a crude oil still, a heat exchanger having a crude oil inlet, feed and return connections from the liquid Within the still through the eX` support, a crude oil still mounted 'thereon and having` a fluid burner, an associated heat exc-hanger connected vby feed and return pipes with the fluid bodywithin the still and also haring a crude oil passage, a feed pipe for conducting heated oil from the passage to the still, a coolingtower mounted on the still and connected. there- WithA and comprising a rectiffyin' column and a dephlegmator, a vapor lischarge pipe leading` from the dephleffmatonto a loo condenser, and a coupled portahle unit having power means connected to supply air under pressure to the still burner' and condenser.

6. A refinery unit comprising a lportable support having a still thereon with la'llui'd' burner, a heat exchanger connected for feeding crude oil to said still, a cooling tower thereon connected for refining liquids, and a condenser having temperature rconltrolling means, and alsecond portable sup;

port coupled to the first support andhaving a power plant mounted thereon With conducting pipes to supply air under pressure to the still burner and cooling tower, and a temperature,controlling medium yto the condenser. 'i

7. In a portable relinery unit, the combination with a support,or' a shell still mounted at one cud of the support longitudinally thereof, a heat exchanger mounted on the support adjacent the still, means for sui'iplying hot liquid from` the Still to the exchanger and returningthe saine to the still, means for passing liquid through the exchanger without mixing with the hot liquid, whereby said conducted liquid is heated, means for conducting the heated liquid to the still, a cooling tower above the still connected therewith, a if'apor pipe leadthe base of the exchange@ a; return pipe from theupper portion of the exchanger to vestablish circulation with the still, a crude oil feed compris-ing vertical coils disposed beneath the return connect1on, a,nd a pipe from said coils discharging into the upperportion ofl the still.

In testimony whereof affix my signature. THOMAS W. SOWELL. 

